Donald Trump creates NATO ‘naughty list’ in bid to punish allies over Iran war

The White House has reportedly drafted what appears to be a ‘naughty and nice’ list of NATO countries as Donald Trump remains furious over the lack of support for his war with Iran

Donald Trump is apparently looking at ways to punish NATO allies who have refused to back his war with Iran.

The US President has reportedly been drafting up what looks like a “naughty and nice” list of NATO countries following their involvement – or lack of – in supporting the US-Israel conflict with Tehran.

The joint objective saw the US and Israel launch ‘Operation Epic Fury’ on February 28, with missiles raining down across Iran and sparking a widescale conflict across the Middle East.

NATO allies, including the UK and France, have shied away from getting directly involved in the war, with most of Europe urging for peace following a global shortage of oil and gas, sparked by the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Three European diplomats and a US defence official told Politico that a blueprint of NATO members’ contributions to the alliance has since been drawn up by US officials, which puts countries into tiers.

A diplomat said the White House list appears to categorise countries into “naughty and nice” but the details currently remain hushed.

“They don’t seem to have very concrete ideas…when it comes to punishing bad allies,” another anonymous European official said. “Moving troops is one option, but it mainly punishes the US doesn’t it?”

It comes as Trump has made threats against allies who haven’t obeyed his wishes clear – even warning to completely withdraw from the pact altogether.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly recently said: “While the United States has always been there for our so-called allies, countries we protect with thousands of troops have not been there for us throughout Operation Epic Fury.

“President Trump has made his thoughts on this unfair dynamic clear, and as he said, the United States will remember.”

As to which countries fit on the ‘nice’ list, it is unclear, but it’s possible Romania and Poland could appear at the top for their support. The Polish government pays almost all of the costs associated with hosting thousands of American troops there while Romania recently expanded an air base to allow the US military to use it for its conflict with Iran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also hinted at the possible good and bad NATO allies last year. He said: “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltics and others, will receive our special favour… Allies that still fail to do their part for collective defense will face consequences.”